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City wants to cut off disability, rehire man

But the former fire inspector has a new job as Clearwater fire marshal and seeks to keep his $1,481.81 monthly pension.

By LORRI HELFAND
Published April 13, 2006

LARGO - Steve Strong was hired as Clearwater fire marshal almost two weeks ago.

But that didn't end his dispute with Largo over a disability pension he's still receiving for knee injuries he suffered as a Largo fire inspector.

Largo wants to stop his $1,481.81 monthly pension payments.

Largo is also asking Strong to return to work for the city in a position that pays $21,000 a year less than he now makes in Clearwater.

"He was an excellent employee when he worked for us and he's capable of doing the work now," said City Manager Steve Stanton.

In January, trustees of Largo's police and fire retirement board who had reviewed doctors' recommendations found that Strong could come back and work as a fire inspector in a position modified for his physical limitations. The pension will end if he takes the Largo job or if he remains Clearwater's fire marshal, according to the board's finding.

"He should take the position," said Jonathan Ellis, pension plan administrator.

Strong has until April 26 to appeal the board's decision and he plans to do so, said his attorney John H. Thompson IV.

"He wants to keep his pension," Thompson said.

Strong first injured his right knee in 1996 when he slipped in water and fell as he got out of a Largo Fire Rescue truck. Since his injury, Strong underwent more than a dozen knee surgeries, including three on his left knee. Six of those surgeries occurred before he left Largo, Strong said.

"I did everything in my power to try to stay there. I did not want to leave. I loved working there," he said.

Strong resigned from Largo on July 25, 2000, after 13 years with the department. Trustees of the police and fire retirement board found that his disability was "total and permanent."

Since leaving Largo, Strong has worked as a fire codes inspector/plans examiner for St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, and a fire inspector and deputy fire marshal for the Dunedin Fire Department.

In April 2005, he was hired as assistant fire marshal for the Clearwater Fire Department and became interim fire marshal in January. While he was interim marshal in Clearwater, Strong recently applied for the Largo fire marshal position, but that job went to Largo fire veteran Jim Warman, who worked as Largo's acting fire marshal for six months.

During his time in Largo, St. Petersburg and Dunedin, Strong received positive performance evaluations.

Largo's human resources director Susan Sinz offered Strong a full-time job with a permanent assignment to the fire prevention division as a fire inspector. The position would pay about $53,000 annually.

Strong's new salary as fire marshal is $74,000.

Lorri Helfand can be reached at 445-4155 or at lorri@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 13, 2006, 00:52:17]